The HumanElite: Chapter 2
Escape
2 days later…
A Grunt whistled to its self through its breather as it pushed a hovercart with three treys of food. It stopped in front of the door of the brig and let the Brute guards search the cart for any weapons before he could bring it into the room. He then entered and pushed the floating cart over to one of the cells.
"Morning Henry, how are you three doing? I've got your food!" said the Grunt.
Henry's mandibles smiled as he shook Zan and Zumai awake.
"Thank you, Pipip, we are doing well!" said the Elite as the Grunt opened the bars.
Pipip then handed them the treys and closed the bars. He sat on the ground and stared at the Elites that he had come to call friends the past two days. Pipip was just like any other grunt except for the fact that he didn't believe in the war he fought in. Henry looked up at the Grunt after he had finished eating.
"Pipip, what is going on in the war so far?" he asked.
Pipip shrugged his stubby shoulders.
"Nothing has changed much, your race is still losing the war, but your Demon has killed many of ours," said the Grunt.
"Demon?" asked Zan through a mouth full of food.
Henry nodded.
"The soldier who fights for the Humans is really called a Spartan, but to the Covenant he is the Demon. He has the best armor and skills, that is why he always defeats so many Covenant Elites and their squads," explained Henry.
"Really?" asked Zumai in amazement.
Before Henry or Pipip could answer the door opened and the Elite Hitili stepped in. Pipip jumped to his feet and bowed low to the Ultra.
"Your Excellency!" gasped the Grunt.
The Elite nodded to the Grunt and then walked up to the cell, Zan and Zumai hid behind Henry as he sat and stared at the high-ranking Elite.
"I see your new body is doing well, Henry," said Hitili.
Henry nodded, but he remained silent. Hitili sighed and rubbed the back of his head.
"I know what you think of me after what my kind did to you, but I can assure you that I am sorry for the part that I had played in it and I want to help you," said the Elite.
Henry was taken aback by what the Elite had just said.
"What do you mean you want to help me? Help me do what?" asked Henry.
Hitili looked around the brig and then looked Henry in the eye.
"I want to help you escape," Hitili whispered.
Henry gaped at Hitili, as did Zan and Zumai, Pipip just stared at the Elite with wide eyes.
"How did you…" began Henry but Hitili held up a hand.
"I never agreed with the prophet's decision to build the machine, nor did I agree with having them transform you. I want to help you to escape because...I saw the way you and Zornos' children looked at each other," said the Elite.
Henry looked confused.
"Zornos?"
"He was mine and Zumai's father, the one they said was a heretic," said Zan as he looked down at his feet.
Hitili nodded.
"Zornos was my younger brother, he had been wrongly accused and because of that he and his wife were killed and his children were thrown in a cell. Seeing how they like you and from what I heard you say, I know you will make a good father for them, that is why I am going to help you escape," explained Hitili.
Henry was speechless, this Elite was risking his rank, his honor, his life, to help him and his brother's children to escape. Zumai was leaning on Zan's shoulder, crying at the memory of her father. Pipip still stood staring in shock, Henry began to wonder if the Grunt really had gone into shock.
"I accept your help…Excellency!" said Henry finally, with a smirk.
The Elite smiled and shook his head.
"When we leave here I will not be an Ultra anymore, so just call me Hitili," the Elite then turned to the silent Pipip," Are you planning on joining us, Unggoy?"
Pipip shook his head clear and then, when realizing what it looked like he was doing, quickly nodded.
"Yes, I am tired of my brethren being the ones who always die in battle, I will not fight a war, on the side I do not believe in!" exclaimed the Grunt.
Hitili nodded his head.
"Very well," he then turned to Henry, "We will be back later with a few things for you and the young ones, we will be escaping today," said the Elite.
Henry shook his head in confusion.
"But, don't we have to make plans on how we are going to escape?" he asked.
Hitili was now the one to smirk.
"I already have a way to get you three out, so don't worry. I will be back, trust me," and with that the Elite left the brig.
Pipip turned to Henry.
"Are you sure we can trust him?" the Grunt asked.
Henry shrugged and pulled the now sleeping young Elites to his side, they had fallen asleep during the middle of the conversation.
"I don't think we have much choice, Pipip. Are you sure you want to help?"
Pipip nodded his head vigorously, his breather rattling.
"I am sure, I meant all of those things I said!"
Henry then nodded and yawned.
"Well, you should leave Pipip, before the Brute guards become suspicious of how long you stay in here," Henry said sleepily.
The Grunt nodded and took the empty treys and set them on the hovercart and he then left. Henry sighed and prayed that the plan Hitili had made would work. He then closed his eyes and went to sleep.
5 hours later, Henry woke up to the sound of plasma fire from outside of the brig door. Something was wrong; Henry shook Zan and Zumai awake and listened to what was going on. Screams of pain and angry yells could be heard on the other side of the purple metal; wails of terrified Grunts, growls and roars of Elites and Brutes alike echoed through the brig.
Suddenly the door flew open and Hitili, along with Pipip, came running in. The Elite threw down what looked like pieces of armor onto the ground.
"I'll cover the door, you let them out!" shouted Hitili as he drew his plasma rifle.
Pipip ran toward the holopanel that opened the cells and slapped his hand on the screen. Once the bars were up Henry and the young Elites walked out. Hitili panted as he smiled and nodded to the black armor.
"This was how we were going to get out, disguising you as an Elite commando, I also have two camouflage units for the two children. That was the original plan, but apparently the Flood have landed on High Charity and they are taking it over. The Elites have also broke away from the Covenant, so we don't have to worry about them, that adds to our advantage. Now quickly put the armor on and grab any spare weapons you can find here!" ordered Hitili. (Think of the Elite commando armor on Halo 3)
Henry put the armor on and liked the feel, now that he was an Elite. He activated the shields and went over to the weapon rack. He grabbed a plasma rifle and a plasma sword, as well as a few plasma grenades. He then noticed his pack was sitting beside the rack so he grabbed that as well. He then looked at Hitili and nodded.
"I am ready," he said.
The Elite nodded and then handed the active camo units to Zan and Zumai.
"Turn them on as soon as we get out of the brig, stay between me and Henry. Henry, you will be rear guard, and you, Unggoy, stay beside the young ones, if we get separated for any reason, do not leave them!"
The Grunt bowed his head.
"I will obey, Excellency!" Pipip said as he held up two needlers in his hands.
Hitili nodded.
"Alright, we are going to make our way to the docking bay, there is a ship waiting for us there. I can only hope that they wait long enough for us before they decide to leave.
"If we run into any Brutes or Flood on the way there, I want you to take care of the Brutes squad of Unggoy, let me handle the Brutes, but try to avoid the Flood, now lets move!" and with that Hitili opened the door and stepped out, swinging his plasma rifle around the corridor. At his feet lay the two Brute guards and some Grunts, as well as two Elites.
"It looks like my brothers have already been through here, come this way!" and they left the brig.
Zan and Zumai turned the active camo on as they took their places between the two full-grown Elites and Pipip took his place to their right. They ran down the corridor, passing even more bodies of Brutes and Elites, as they started to turn a corner a Brute roared from in front of them. There stood five Grunts, three Jackals at the Brutes side. A plasma bolt hit the edge of the corner, melting a hole into the metal.
"Take cover!" growled Hitili as he jumped behind a Covenant weapons crate.
Henry took his spot behind the wall keeping the two young Elites beside him. Pipip new he would be disobeying an order if he went to join Hitili, so he stayed with the young ones, looking back the way they came.
Henry leaned out away from the wall and fired his plasma rifle; two Grunts fell with cries of pain, their arms flailing as they fell to the deck, he ducked back when a ball of green plasma melted the wall where his head had been. Hitili stepped out from behind his crate, unleashed a few shots of plasma, then armed a plasma grenade and threw it over the crates that the Jackals hid behind.
It landed on one of the Jackals, sticking to its chest, it cried out and exploded, taking another Jackal and two more Grunts with it. The Brute fired its spike rifle at Hitili, who quickly got back behind his crate. Henry leaned out again and fired a few shots at the Brute. Henry ducked as red-hot spikes flew past his position and struck the wall on the opposite side of the hallway.
When there was a lull he fired at the last Grunt taking it down. Hitili stood up and brought the last Jackal down with another grenade. The Brute howled in rage as he charged the Ultra Elite's position. Hitili stood up and fired rapidly at the Brute, it gave a strangled cry and fell to the ground with three feet to spare.
Suddenly the sound of dual needlers firing behind him made Henry turn. Pipip was blasting the pink shards at two hulking mutated Brutes that were surrounded by small green squid like creatures, Henry gasped.
"Flood!" he shouted and he began blasting infection forms with his rifle.
Hitili came to the corner and opened up on one of the Flood Brutes, the thing roared and charged them. Henry blasted it in the chest as Hitili blasted its head; soon it fell with a strangled roar.
"Come we must go, now!" growled Hitili, "Turn off the active camo!"
Zan and Zumai appeared and they were looking at the approaching Flood in fear. Hitili picked Zanpami up and Henry picked up Zumai. Pipip looked up at the two Elites, his eyes filled with fear as well.
"Come!" shouted Hitili as he ran aiming his rifle at a combat form that used to be an Elite and blasted it to pieces.
Henry pushed the Grunt to go after Hitili and then shot a few blasts of plasma and ran after them. They ran around another corner and stopped while Hitili opened the door, as soon as it opened the two Elites swept the room with their rifles, nothing but dead Grunts, Jackals and two Hunters.
'Now that is amazing!' said Henry in his mind.
They then went to the next door and entered a hall clear of the dead and Flood. Hitili took the lead again, Zan and Zumai stood between him and Henry and Pipip was now on their left, still beside the two children. They turned another corner and ran into a small group of Elites, who raised their weapons on impulse but put them down when they realized the group wasn't a threat.
One of the Elites walked up to Hitili.
"Your Excellency! We have been waiting for you like you ordered! You got here just in time, we were about to leave without you," said the black armored Elite with humor in its voice.
Hitili smiled, nodded and turned to a confused Henry.
"These Elites are my squad, Henry. They are loyal to me and they are also tired of this war. They are all risking their lives by waiting here for us," said Hitili.
The Elite raised its rifle and saluted Henry.
"We would rather fight on the side that is we know is right. The prophecies the prophets have foreseen are false, Humanity is not the trash we were made to believe! We will fight for the Human race, in a sign of friendship and help end this bloody war!" shouted the Elite and the others roared in approval.
Henry smiled as he felt his eyes water and he turned to Hitili.
"I thank you, Hitili. I may not be human anymore, but I speak for all of them, when I say, we welcome your help and friendship," he then shook Hitili's hand as both Elites smiled.
Hitili then motioned for the Elites to go into the hanger and his group followed. Inside was a small Covenant Cruiser and standing in long lines were hundreds Grunts and Jackals, and behind them stood eight hunter pairs. All armed to the teeth and all of them ready to fight for what they believed. Hitili turned and smiled at Henry again.
"Does this please you to know that you now have allies, my friend?" the Elite asked.
Henry nodded and placed his fist on his chest and bowed, Hitili chuckled.
"I see you have learned our ways, Henry," the Elite said smiling, returning the salute.
Henry smiled back.
"I have been around you and the Covenant long enough now to know their ways, Hitili," he said.
Hitili nodded and clasped his hands behind his back.
"Then, since you are now an Elite, you deserve a new name. One that should be fitting of your rank, sergeant" said the Elite.
Henry thought for a moment and smiled.
"Thronir, I choose, Thronir!" he said.
Hitili nodded his head and bowed.
"Thronir, it is then! Now I believe you should go board the ship with your new son and daughter," Hitili nodded toward Zan and Zumai as they waited to board the Cruiser with the ever-loyal Pipip standing beside them.
Henry smiled, saluted Hitili and walked over to them, while the other former Covenant set about to get the ship ready for departure.
Both Elite children looked up and smiled when Henry kneeled before them and removed his Elite commando helmet. He then placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
"Are you two ready to board with your new father?" he asked them.
Zan and Zumai cried out in joy and happiness and they hugged the Elite. Zumai had tears running down her cheeks as she whispered.
"Thank you, Thronir, I love you!" she said.
Henry looked at her in surprise and then looked at Pipip who was chuckling.
"It was really easy to hear your conversation with Hitili, Henry or should I now say, Thronir. It took all of my strength to keep them from running over to you when they heard Hitili claim you as their father," smiled the Grunt behind his breather.
Henry then turned to Zanpami who was looking at him with his mandibles in a big smile.
"Thank you Thronir!" was all the boy said.
Thronir smiled again as he stood up and picked up Zumai.
"Come lets get onboard and find ourselves a cabin!" he said and he made his way to the ship with his new daughter in his arms, his new son walking by his side, and his friend on the other.